As part of their work during this past spring semester, seventh-grade students in Scott McClintock's science class at Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School explored renewable energy sources. Their research and experiments culminated with a collaboratively created calendar that is now available for purchase. The students began with researching sustainable energy sources, including biomass, solar, and hydropower. The research included expeditions to a nearby biodiesel plant, area wind turbines, and other locations. Then, the students spent a week conducting experiments with hands-on …

Whiz Kids' Name(s): Kahri Dixon Whiz Kids' School/Church/Community Center: Kahri attends Maplewood Richmond Heights High School.Whiz Kids' Accomplishment: He recently received recognition for outstanding achievements by the Special School District of St. Louis County. Whiz Kids' Key to Awesomeness: Kahri received the Rosemary Zander Award in recognition of his "extraordinary successes" during the Commitment to Kids Banquet held April 28, a news release states. Kahri, who is deaf, started a sign-language club at MRH High School in an effort to "teach his peers how to sign and about deaf …

Name: Alex Krekeler, 9  Family: Vince and Denise Krekeler, of Maplewood Accomplishment: Alex won first place in the Junior Division of the Play! Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) Regional Championship held recently at Yeti Gaming at Crestwood Mall. His division consisted of more than 230 competitors in Missouri and the seven surrounding states. His win net him a $1,500 scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to the national competition. Alex's dad Vince Krekeler organized the regional championship and owns Yeti Gaming. He said Pokemon is a Japanese animation that began in 1996 and was most …

Nine seventh-grade girls from St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School in Brentwood won first or second-place ribbons in a math competition on April 2 at Rosati-Kain High School. They were among 171 students from 27 schools that participated in the annual competition. The girls participated in team as well as individual events. “What a great group of girls. I feel giddy when I think about how well they all did," math teacher Tricia Martinez said. "I really can't tell you how proud I am of all of them." The students credited their "super math teacher," whose curriculum prepared them well for the …

Bright green bags were found hanging on front doors across the area this weekend, waiting to be filled with items like soap, shampoo, toilet paper and toothpaste; necessities most people take for granted but simple luxuries for others who may be struggling. To help fill this need, area troops, including those in Brentwood and Maplewood, are taking part in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s 14th annual April Showers Personal Care Item Drive. Empty bags were delivered to area homes last weekend, and Girl Scouts will be out on Saturday to collect the bags filled with new, unsused personal …

Ilona Kiss has entered into some exclusive company. The Brentwood High School senior is one of 15,000 students in the United States to become a National Merit finalist and she is one of only 33 students in Brentwood’s history to receive such an honor. “Having a National Merit finalist at Brentwood High School exemplifies the hard work and caliber of student that we have here,” said Ivy Hutchison, college and career advisor at Brentwood High School. The National Merit Scholarship Program is a national scholarship competition for American high school students. The journey begins when a student …

Whiz Kids' Name(s) and Ages: Mason Kramer, Aiden Reinhold, Freeman Reinhold and Gavin VilcekWhiz Kids' School/Church/Community Center: Maplewood Richmond Heights Elementary SchoolWhiz Kids' Accomplishment: The students placed third in the state chess championship.Whiz Kids' Key to Awesomeness: Mason, Aiden, Freeman and Gavin were among nearly 400 students who played chess Feb. 26 in Jefferson City as part of the 2011 Missouri Scholastic Team Championships, the Missouri Scholastic Chess website states.Coach Ben Simon told Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch that Freeman, a fourth-grader, is the …

Krystal Peterson, a junior at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, and Kevin Smith, a junior at Brentwood High School, were recognized for their achievement in the classroom during an awards ceremony at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). The university presented Peterson and Smith, and 34 other students from the St. Louis metro area, with Distinguished Achievement Awards for Excellence in Science on March 2. In a news release, Ron Yasbin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, stated students need to be recognized for pursuing STEM—science, technology, engineering and math—…

Parents, students and teachers cheered loudly from the stands, the Blue Devil Big Band performed Queen's "We Are the Champions" and multicolored stringers flew from the rafters during a ceremony at the Maplewood Richmond Heights High School gymnasium on Friday morning. The school wasn't holding a pep rally or hosting a basketball game. Instead, students between third and 12th grades were honored for academic success on standardized test scores during the 2011 Academic Achievement Celebration. The school district aims to create an atmopshere comparable to an athletic event. It's part of the …

Each week, Maplewood-Brentwood Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups and teens that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Know a Whiz Kid? Nominate them for next week's feature! Today's Whiz Kid nomination comes from Brentwood resident Becky Slatin: Whiz Kids' Name(s), Age(s): Fourth-grade students from Mark Twain Elementary School Whiz Kids' Accomplishment: The students crafted Valentine's Day cards for residents at BJH Extended Care, a nursing home in …

Each week, Maplewood-Brentwood Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups and teens that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Know a Whiz Kid? Nominate them for next week's feature! Today's Whiz Kid nomination comes from Maplewood resident Tonya Powell: Whiz Kids' Name(s), Age(s): Maplewood Richmond Heights Elementary School students (attached flier lists all participants) Whiz Kids' Accomplishment: The students held a talent show to raise money for sixth …

Know a great teen who made Eagle Scout? Or a great kid who helped a neighbor during the winter storm? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Maplewood-Brentwood Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to editor Ryan Martin at ryan.martin@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information…